Elections: Local Government

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many seats there were in England on principal councils in each of the past 10 years; and how many there will be after the local elections in June.

Baroness Andrews: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Election Date Number of principal local councils Total number of councillors on English Principal Local Authorities 
			 1999-May  19,941 
			 2000-May  19,955 
			 2001-June  19,978 
			 2002-May  19,842 
			 2003-May 388 19,702 
			 2004-June  19,696 
			 2005-May  19,702 
			 2006-May  19,703 
			 2007-May  19,704 
			 2008-May  19,917 
			 2009-June 353 18,317 
		
	
	The 2008 figure includes 81 and 72 seats for the shadow councils of Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester respectively.
	The June 2009 figure reflects the expectation that, following reviews by the Electoral Commission, the 2009 local elections for Shropshire and Wiltshire Councils will be on the basis of 74 and 98 seats respectively.
	While the Electoral Commission is currently consulting on its proposal of 123 seats for the new Cornwall Council, the 2009 figure in the table reflects the current 82 seats for Cornwall County Council. We are taking soundings of those affected in Cornwall as to when and on what basis the 2009 local elections in Cornwall should be held.
	The 2009 figure also include the 37 seats for Bedford Borough and the 66 seats for Central Bedfordshire, on which basis the June elections will take place as provided for in the Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008—SI 2008/907.

Flooding

Lord Colwyn: To ask Her Majesty's Government following the flooding in July 2007, how much was paid from the Pitt fund and from other budgets to (a) local authorities; (b) individual property owners; and (c) various organisations, as set out in the Government's response to Sir Michael Pitt's review, published in December 2008.

Baroness Andrews: Following the 2007 summer floods the Government made available a comprehensive package of over £136 million to assist the affected regions and help those in greatest need, including funding for schools, transport and businesses.
	As set out in the Government's response to Sir Michael Pitt's review, published in December 2008, the Government set aside £34.5 million of the £2.15 billion total for flood and coastal erosion in this year and the following two years to implement Sir Michael Pitt's review. Other budgets available for flood risk management activity bring a total investment of over £60 million for delivering the recommendations.
	Annexe B of the Government's response to Sir Michael Pitt's review of the Summer 2007 floods contains a complete breakdown of funding. The document can be viewed at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/floods07/Govtresptopitt.pdf.

Housing

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 18 December 2008 (WA 67), what is the economic case for selling existing social housing units at market value less discount and replacing them with units built at current market cost.

Baroness Andrews: The value of the discount offered on sales of social dwellings is less than the cost of continuing to let those units at sub-market rents for the lifetime of the tenancies. Proceeds from sales are reinvested to supply new affordable housing units sooner than they would otherwise have become available. This reduces the cost of supporting households that would otherwise have been housed in temporary accommodation and the private rented sector (where rents and housing benefit payments are typically higher).

Housing: Market Renewal Pathfinders

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been allocated to each housing market renewal pathfinder project in each year since its introduction; and what provisional allocations have been made for future years.

Baroness Andrews: HMR pathfinder allocations are given in the table below to 2008-09. For 2009-11, a new HMR programme will be set up by the Homes and Communities Agency within a policy framework established by CLG. Allocations for these years, £346 million for 2009-10 and £311 million for 2010-11, are indicative and may change by up to plus or minus 10 per cent.
	
		
			 Total pathfinder funding 2002-09 (£m) 
			  Preparation Early actions First implementation agreements Announced allocations 
			 Pathfinder 2002-04 2003-04 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 
			 Birmingham Sandwell 2.6 4.0  13.6 30.0 15.2 29.2 25 
			 East Lancs 2.6 4.0  22.8 43.2 46.0 48.9 52 
			 Hull and East Riding 2.68.7 17.3 24.9 30 
			 Manchester Salford 2.6  20.0 44.0 51.2 52.1 53.9 52 
			 Merseyside 2.6 4.0  34.3 51.7 46.8 50.9 54 
			 Newcastle Gateshead 2.6 4.0 3.0 28.0 31.9 23.0 41.0 34 
			 North Staffs 2.6 4.0  7.0 19.3 29.0 38.5 40 
			 Oldham Rochdale 2.6 4.0  17.2 30.5 30.0 37.5 32 
			 South Yorks 2.6 4.0  274 36.7 40.2 49.8 46 
			 Tees Valley **  5.5 12.75 13 
			 West Yorkshire **  5.5 12.75  
			 West Cumbria **  3.5 5.5 3 
		
	
	** The three wider lower demand areas. For 2008-11 the allocation for South Yorkshire includes an allocation of £12 million over the three years for HMR activity in the SE Wakefield housing market area of West Yorkshire.

Housing: Market Renewal Pathfinders

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been allocated and spent under the housing market renewal pathfinder project in each of the local authority areas included in each pathfinder area.

Baroness Andrews: Financial information for individual local authority areas within HMR pathfinders is not collected centrally.

Housing: Market Renewal Pathfinders

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they still plan the housing market renewal pathfinders to be carried out over 15 years.

Baroness Andrews: Beyond the indicative allocations announced by the Government in February 2008, it is too early to comment on future levels of funding for the HMR programme. In general terms, the Government are encouraging pathfinders to work with other regional partners towards eradicating low-demand problems in their areas by 2020.

Housing: Recession

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government in how many cases development sites for housing in England have had development halted since the onset of the current economic situation; and how many housing units are so affected.

Baroness Andrews: Information on the number of housing development sites halted is not held centrally. However, CLG data for the September quarter 2008 (released in November 2008) showed that starts were down 33 per cent on the previous quarter and 48 per cent lower than the September quarter 2007.

Housing: Rents

Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic impact of the above-inflation increase in council rents, as set out in the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Determination 2009-10 circular.

Baroness Andrews: Communities and Local Government consulted on the draft 2009-10 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Subsidy Determination, including on the option of fixed average guideline rent increases for 2009-10 and 2010-11, in autumn 2008. At that time the position on retail price index inflation was significantly different from current forecasts. The final 2009-10 determination reflects the outcome of consultation.
	We are aware of the concerns now being expressed about the fixed average guideline rent increases in the light of current inflation forecasts, and are looking closely at the situation to consider what action might be appropriate.

Housing: Rents

Lord Smith of Leigh: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are in receipt of subsidy on their housing revenue accounts; by what amounts; how many are in negative subsidy; and by what amounts in 2009-10.

Baroness Andrews: The table below shows the position on housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy for local housing authorities in England, as at October 2008. This indicates that 202 authorities were in negative subsidy and 52 in receipt of positive subsidy at that time. Estimates for 2009-10 will not be available till later in the next financial year after local authorities have submitted claims to Communities and Local Government.
	
		
			 HRA Subsidy Entitlement Local authority 
			 Local authority Subsidy Negative Positive 
			 Adur £2,390,216 -£2,390,216  
			 Alnwick -£372,444 -£372,444  
			 Arun -£3,465,115 -£3,465,115  
			 Ashfield £1,971,555  £1,971,555 
			 Ashford -£3,267,783 -£3,267,783  
			 Aylesbury £0   
			 Babergh -£4,527,320 -£4,527,320  
			 Barking -£17,237,264 -£17,237,264  
			 Barnet -£11,924,485 -£11,924,485  
			 Barnsley £6,664,561  £6,664,561 
			 Barrow -£35,062 -£35,062  
			 Basildon -£3,083,030 -£3,083,030  
			 Bassetlaw -£3,013,736 -£3,013,736  
			 Berwick -£1,441,759 -£1,441,759  
			 Birmingham -£10,507,747 -£10,507,747  
			 Blaby -£2,159,692 -£2,159,692  
			 Blackpool £625,394  £625,394 
			 Blyth Valley £2,648,088  £2,648,088 
			 Bolsover -£4,758,038 -£4,758,038  
			 Bolton £7,116,245  £7,116,245 
			 Bournemouth -£3,135,812 -£3,135,812  
			 Bracknell -£6,683 -£6,683  
			 Braintree £1,213,653  £1,213,653 
			 Brent £15,908,981  £15,908,981 
			 Brentwood -£3,548,489 -£3,548,489  
			 Bridgnorth -£3,072,564 -£3,072,564  
			 Brighton & Hove -£2,467,100 -£2,467,100  
			 Bristol -£5,462,387 -£5,462,387  
			 Broxbourne £0   
			 Broxtowe -£3,223,748 -£3,223,748  
			 Bury -£4,470,173 -£4,470,173  
			 Cambridge -£11,762,891 -£11,762,891  
			 Camden £29,441,936  £29,441,936 
			 Cannock Chase -£3,152,459 -£3,152,459  
			 Canterbury -£5,100,622 -£5,100,622  
			 Caradon -£3,056,028 -£3,056,028  
			 Carrick -£805,343 -£805,343  
			 Castle Morpeth £964,529  £964,529 
			 Castle Point -£2,005,118 -£2,005,118  
			 Charnwood -£3,359,625 -£3,359,625  
			 Cheltenham -£1,729,195 -£1,729,195  
			 Chesterfield -£5,501,436 -£5,501,436  
			 Chester-le-Street £0   
			 Chorley £0   
			 City of London £742,067  £742,067 
			 City of York -£5,306,660 -£5,306,660  
			 Colchester -£2,250,235 -£2,250,235  
			 Corby -£3,080,050 -£3,080,050  
			 Crawley -£13,877,873 -£13,877,873  
			 Croydon -£16,078,194 -£16,078,194  
			 Dacorum -£18,103,721 -£18,103,721  
			 Darlington -£565,271 -£565,271  
			 Dartford -£5,072,900 -£5,072,900  
			 Daventry -£1,488 -£1,488  
			 Derby £1,692,170  £1,692,170 
			 Derwentside £0   
			 Doncaster £1,612,445  £1,612,445 
			 Dover -£5,230,192 -£5,230,192  
			 Dudley -£17,155,310 -£17,155,310  
			 Durham -£1,890,745 -£1,890,745  
			 Ealing £5,178,264  £5,178,264 
			 Easington £1,775,941  £1,775,941 
			 East Devon -£5,358,394 -£5,358,394  
			 East Riding -£9,363,243 -£9,363,243  
			 Eastbourne £720,416  £720,416 
			 Ellesmere Port -£4,547,005 -£4,547,005  
			 Enfield -£8,278,110 -£8,278,110  
			 Epping Forest -£10,842,203 -£10,842,203  
			 Exeter -£4,415,766 -£4,415,766  
			 Fareham -£2,201,593 -£2,201,593  
			 Fenland £42,292  £42,292 
			 Gateshead £4,935,249  £4,935,249 
			 Gedling -£1,411,193 -£1,411,193  
			 Gloucester -£1,536,163 -£1,536,163  
			 Gosport -£3,177,976 -£3,177,976  
			 Gravesham -£5,959,387 -£5,959,387  
			 Great Yarmouth -£2,703,376 -£2,703,376  
			 Greenwich £8,802,275  £8,802,275 
			 Guildford -£10,337,775 -£10,337,775  
			 Hackney £48,397,019  £48,397,019 
			 Hammersmith £12,979,642  £12,979,642 
			 Harborough £38,260  £38,260 
			 Haringey £16,634,705  £16,634,705 
			 Harlow -£12,373,746 -£12,373,746  
			 Harrogate -£2,429,849 -£2,429,849  
			 Harrow -£6,414,313 -£6,414,313  
			 Havering -£11,456,438 -£11,456,438  
			 High Peak -£1,912,780 -£1,912,780  
			 Hillingdon -£10,461,727 -£10,461,727  
			 Hinckley -£3,438,092 -£3,438,092  
			 Hounslow £1,411,227  £1,411,227 
			 Hyndburn £0   
			 Ipswich -£6,133,576 -£6,133,576  
			 Isles of Scilly £0   
			 Islington £58,369,138  £58,369,138 
			 Kensington £4,333,212  £4,333,212 
			 Kettering -£3,106,606 -£3,106,606  
			 Kingston upon Hull £1,923,610  £1,923,610 
			 Kingston upon Thames -£6,608,682 -£6,608,682  
			 Kirklees £8,481,553  £8,481,553 
			 Lambeth £11,465,899  £11,465,899 
			 Lancaster -£1,344,808 -£1,344,808  
			 Leeds £30,012,444  £30,012,444 
			 Leicester £477,548  £477,548 
			 Lewes -£2,922,231 -£2,922,231  
			 Lewisham £21,861,427  £21,861,427 
			 Lincoln -£555,651 -£555,651  
			 Liverpool £240,586  £240,586 
			 Luton -£5,702,451 -£5,702,451  
			 Macclesfield £0   
			 Manchester £34,659,290  £34,659,290 
			 Mansfield -£1,014,170 -£1,014,170  
			 Medway Towns -£1,429,757 -£1,429,757  
			 Melton -£1,514,775 -£1,514,775  
			 Merton -£8,921,220 -£8,921,220  
			 Mid Devon -£3,306,057 -£3,306,057  
			 Mid Suffolk -£3,490,455 -£3,490,455  
			 Milton Keynes -£l0,183,856 -£l0,183,856  
			 Mole Valley -£10,956 -£10,956  
			 NE Derbyshire -£6,748,105 -£6,748,105  
			 New Forest -£7,954,267 -£954,267  
			 Newark -£2,279,765 -£2,279,765  
			 Newcastle upon Tyne £20,203,251  £20,203,251 
			 Newham £28,014,170  £28,014,170 
			 North Cornwall -£2,521,276 -£2,521,276  
			 North Kesteven -£2,559,203 -£2,559,203  
			 North Lincoln £0   
			 North Shropshire £22,452  £22,452 
			 North Tyneside -£1,369,553 -£1,369,553  
			 North Warwick -£3,457,390 -£3,457,390  
			 Northampton -£9,060,142 -£9,060,142  
			 Norwich -£6,067,070 -£6,067,070  
			 Nottingham £3,735,057  £3,735,057 
			 Nuneaton -£3,875,867 -£3,875,867  
			 NW Leicester -£4,401,897 -£4,401,897  
			 Oadby & Wigston -£928,743 -£928,743  
			 Oldham £17,693,722  £17,693,722 
			 Oswestry -£1,537,911 -£1,537,911  
			 Oxford City -£10,612,055 -£10,612,055  
			 Pendle £0   
			 Plymouth -£1,873,599 -£1,873,599  
			 Poole -£3,397,874 -£3,397,874  
			 Portsmouth -£4,581,033 -£4,581,033  
			 Preston £0   
			 Reading -£4,593,762 -£4,593,762  
			 Redbridge -£4,526,858 -£4,526,858  
			 Redditch -£5,834,619 -£5,834,619  
			 Ribble Valley £38,150  £38,150 
			 Richmondshire -£973,632 -£973,632  
			 Rochdale £10,147,779  £10,147,779 
			 Rochford -£7,397 -£7,397  
			 Rotherham -£2,088,888 -£2,088,888  
			 Rugby -£3,378,087 -£3,378,087  
			 Runnymede -£5,957,731 -£5,957,731  
			 Rutland -£1,359,689 -£1,359,689  
			 Salford £8,050,206  £8,050,206 
			 Salisbury -£7,510,880 -£7,510,880  
			 Sandwell -£172,317 -£172,317  
			 Sedgefield -£3,274,926 -£3,274,926  
			 Sedgemoor -£3,565,993 -£3,565,993  
			 Selby -£2,686,071 -£2,686,071  
			 Sheffield £35,711,125  £35,711,125 
			 Shepway -£2,306,890 -£2,306,890  
			 Slough -£7,803,505 -£7,803,505  
			 Solihull -£4,401,892 -£4,401,892  
			 South Beds -£8,563,089 -£8,563,089  
			 South Cambridge -£11, 854,192 -£11,854,192  
			 South Derby -£2,834,642 -£2,834,642  
			 South Gloucs £0   
			 South Holland -£3,672,405 -£3,672,405  
			 South Kesteven -£5,602,083 -£5,602,083  
			 South Lakeland -£3,386,251 -£3,386,251  
			 South Norfolk £108,402  £108,402 
			 South Northants -£16,636 -£16,636  
			 South Tyneside -£2,731,197 -£2,731,197  
			 Southampton -£5,074,600 -£5,074,600  
			 Southend-on-Sea -£2,699,904 -£2,699,904  
			 Southwark £33,457,178  £33,457,178 
			 St Albans -£9,699,568 -£9,699,568  
			 Stevenage -£13,668,795 -£13,668,795  
			 Stockport -£1,138,130 -£1,138,130  
			 Stockton £1,861,054  £1861,054 
			 Stoke-on-Trent -£5,421,108 -£5,421,108  
			 Stroud -£5,886,100 -£5,886,100  
			 Sutton -£9,796,217 -£9,796,217  
			 Swindon -£9,354,996 -£9,354,996  
			 Tamworth -£1,636,668 -£1,636,668  
			 Tandridge -£3,675,633 -£3,675,633  
			 Taunton Deane -£5,878,374 -£5,878,374  
			 Teesdale £0   
			 Tendring -£1,712,353 -£1,712,353  
			 Thanet £70,582 -£70,582  
			 Three Rivers -£7,563 -£7,563  
			 Thurrock -£8,840,184 -£8,840,184  
			 Torridge £0   
			 Tower Hamlets £21,331,376  £21,331,376 
			 Uttlesford -£5,155,142 -£5,155,142  
			 Waltham Forest £1,997,233  £1,997,233 
			 Wandsworth -£15,025,285 -£15,025,285  
			 Wansbeck £16,693  £16,693 
			 Warrington -£5,300,899 -£5,300,899  
			 Warwick -£6,692,644 -£6,692,644  
			 Watford £36,964  £36,964 
			 Waveney -£3,582,717 -£3,582,717  
			 Waverley -£10,027,624 -£10,027,624  
			 Wealden -£2,286,718 -£2,286,718  
			 Wear Valley £0   
			 Wellingborough £37,537  £37,537 
			 Welwyn Hatfield -£16,366,366 -£16,366,366  
			 West Lancashire -£4,584,661 -£4,584,661  
			 Westminster £6,933,085  £6,933,085 
			 Wigan £684,501  £684,501 
			 Winchester -£8,281,069 -£8,281,069  
			 Woking -£5,308,543 -£5,308,543  
			 Wokingham -£4,853,627 -£4,853,627  
			 Wolverhampton -£6,152,026 -£6,152,026  
			 Wycombe -£11,318,958 -£11,318,958  
		
	
	* Figures based on the second advance subsidy claim form where available. Figures are unaudited.
	** Figures include 15 councils showing zero subsidy, including due to stock transfers.

Local Government: Salaries

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have given to local authorities about salary levels for senior staff they employ.

Baroness Andrews: This department has no responsibility for setting nor for providing guidance on senior staff salary levels in local authorities. Local authorities are responsible for all pay and grading decisions, including those for senior officials.
	The joint negotiating committees for chief executives and chief officers produce guidance on salary frameworks and conditions of service for local authority chief executives and chief officers. Details of how to obtain the relevant handbooks can be found on the local government employers website at www.lge.gov.uk/lge/core/page.do?pageId=l 22304.

Multi-area Agreements

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which areas have signed multi-area agreements; and which unitary, top-tier and second-tier local authorities are taking part in each one.

Baroness Andrews: The following areas have signed multi-area agreements:
	
		
			 Areas Authorities involved 
			 Tees Valley Darlington Borough Council 
			  Hartlepool Borough Council 
			  Middlesbrough Borough Council 
			  Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 
			  Stockton on Tees Borough Council 
			 Greater Manchester Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Manchester City Council 
			  Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Salford City Council 
			  Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 
			 South Yorkshire Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Sheffield City Council 
			 Leeds City Region Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council 
			  Bradford Metropolitan District Council 
			  Borough Council of Calderdale 
			  Craven District Council 
			  Harrogate Borough Council 
			  Kirklees Metropolitan Council 
			  Leeds City Council 
			  North Yorkshire County Council 
			  Selby District Council 
			  Wakefield Metropolitan District Council 
			  City of York Council 
			 Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Hampshire County Council 
			  East Hampshire County Council 
			  Eastleigh Borough Council 
			  Fareham Borough Council 
			  Gosport Borough Council 
			  Havant Borough Council 
			  New Forest District Council 
			  Portsmouth City Council 
			  Southampton City Council 
			  Test Valley Borough Council 
			  Winchester City Council 
			 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Bournemouth Borough Council 
			  Christchurch Borough Council 
			  Dorset County Council 
			  East Dorset District Council, 
			  North Dorset District Council 
			  West Dorset District Council 
			  Borough of Poole 
			  Purbeck District Council 
			  Weymouth and Portland Borough Council 
			 Tyne and Wear Gateshead Council 
			  Durham County Council 
			  Newcastle City Council 
			  Northumberland County Council 
			  North Tyneside Council 
			  South Tyneside Council 
			  Sunderland City Council 
			 Liverpool City Region Halton Borough Council 
			  Knowsley Metropolitan District Council 
			  Liverpool City Council 
			  Sefton Metropolitan District Council 
			  St Helens Metropolitan District Council 
			  Wirral Metropolitan District Council 
			 Leicester and Leicestershire Leicester City Council 
			  Leicestershire County Council 
			 Pennine Lancashire Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 
			  Burnley Borough Council 
			  Hyndburn Borough Council 
			  Pendle Borough Council 
			  Ribble Valley Borough Council 
			  Rossendale Borough Council 
			  Lancashire County Council

Multi-area Agreements

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what extra funds and other resources they will provide to each of the multi-area agreements that have been set up.

Baroness Andrews: MAAs are agreements concluded between local partnerships and the Government to find collaborative ways to overcome practical and regulatory obstacles to improved service delivery. As such, the Government have no plans to, as a result of these agreements, provide extra funds and resources to any of the MAAs that have been set up.

Multi-area Agreements

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of their powers and responsibilities will be transferred to the local authorities in each of the areas which have signed multi-area agreements.

Baroness Andrews: The freedoms and flexibilities that the Government have agreed to deliver as part of the 10 signed MAAs are listed in the individual agreements. I have placed a table in the Library of the House which draws these together.

Multi-area Agreements

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures there are for delivering railway improvement schemes that are included in multi-area agreements.

Baroness Andrews: There are no set procedures for delivering railway improvement schemes that are included in multi-area agreements. Each agreement is bespoke and therefore tailored to the needs of an individual sub-region. Government departments involved in agreeing schemes to be included in multi-area agreements are committed to supporting delivery and CLG has in place an implementation plan, with appropriate checks, to monitor progress and delivery of each agreement.

National Parks

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many appeals were lodged against planning decisions by each of the National Park authorities in England and Wales in each of the past five years; how many such planning decisions were upheld; how many were rejected; and what was the total cost to each of the authorities.

Baroness Andrews: The table below shows the number of planning appeals for national park authorities in England and Wales received by the Planning Inspectorate from 2004 to 2008. Also shown is the number of appeals decided and, of those, the number allowed (planning authorities' decision overturned) and the number dismissed (planning authorities' decision upheld).
	Information on costs incurred by local planning authorities in relation to planning appeals is not held centrally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  20042005
			 National Park Authority Received Decided Dismissed Allowed Received Decided Dismissed Allowed 
			 England 
			 The Broads 6 3 3 0 5 9 6 3 
			 Dartmoor 31 28 21 7 30 28 18 10 
			 Exmoor 7 6 5 1 1 4 3 1 
			 Lake District 57 36 17 19 58 65 45 20 
			 New Forest 
			 North Yorkshire Moors 23 13 8 5 16 16 12 4 
			 Northumberland 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Peak District 37 27 14 13 41 39 26 13 
			 Yorkshire Dales 10 4 2 2 16 7 4 2 
			 Wales 
			 Brecon Beacons 7 7 5 2 17 10 8 2 
			 Pembrokeshire Coast 8 14 9 5 9 7 5 2 
			 Snowdonia 10 13 11 2 15 7 5 2 
		
	
	
		
			  200620072008
			 National Park Authority Received Decided Dismissed Allowed Received Decided Dismissed Allowed Received Decided Dismissed Allowed 
			 England 
			 The Broads 5 4 1 3 10 5 4 1 4 9 4 5 
			 Dartmoor 30 35 21 14 36 28 19 9 26 30 22 8 
			 Exmoor 3 3 2 1 5 3 1 2 6 5 2 3 
			 Lake District 44 51 36 15 30 26 15 11 22 30 16 14 
			 New Forest 87 48 27 21 71 80 39 41 75 65 46 19 
			 North Yorkshire Moors 20 23 14 9 27 15 9 6 23 29 15 14 
			 Northumberland 0 1 0 I 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Peak District 49 39 21 18 44 32 18 14 42 43 27 16 
			 Yorkshire Dales 18 20 18 2 9 6 4 2 14 13 7 6 
			 Wales 
			 Brecon Beacons 20 19 16 3 I1 12 9 3 23 15 12 3 
			 Pembrokeshire Coast 10 6 3 3 11 11 7 4 18 14 11 3 
			 Snowdonia 12 18 12 6 13 11 5 6 9 8 5 3 
		
	
	Note: New Forest did not take up powers as planning authority until 2006.

Religious Tolerance

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have evidence of rising tensions between communities in Britain since early December 2008; if so, whether such tensions have led to offences against the person or damage to property; and whether they are consulting local religious and community groups so as to prevent breaches of the peace.

Baroness Andrews: The tension monitoring returns, the process used by government to monitor tension levels in local areas, has shown evidence in some areas of rising tensions affecting some communities. The tension monitoring returns show there has been a significant rise in anti-Semitic attacks in Britain since December 2008; this is confirmed by Community Security Trust figures. The incidents reported include both offences against the person and damage to property. Over the last month the Government have made it a priority to meet faith communities and provide reassurance that we are taking the action necessary to help minimise tensions, tackle all forms of hate crime and prevent breaches of the peace.

Schools: Personal, Social and Health Education

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the Macdonald review on personal, social and health education not being completed before March, they will introduce legislation in time for preparation and implementation by schools for the academic year starting in September 2010.

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The time needed for public consultation and the parliamentary process means that personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education would not become a statutory requirement in time for schools to prepare effectively to implement this in the academic year starting in September 2010. The department's standard practice is to allow schools at least one academic year to prepare for changes to the curriculum or qualifications.